More Young Children Drown in Florida than Any Other State
It’s something most parents think could
never happen to their family, but
according to Safe Kids USA, every year
in the United States nearly 830 children
drown. In Florida, drowning rates for
children younger than age 5 are more than
double the national average and are higher
than any other state in the nation. For every
child who drowns, four more are hospitalized
for near-drowning.
Curious children, especially those younger than 4 years old, can easily find their way out of the home and fall into bodies of water like pools, hot tubs and ponds. Often they are discovered too late to be saved.
“Many parents of children who have drowned were shocked to discover that their toddler found a way out of the house,” said St. Joseph’s Children’s Advocate Bevin Maynard. “In some cases, an older sibling left a door open, in a few others, children who were thought to still be napping were instead discovered in the pool.”
Maynard adds that drowning victims don’t typically scream and splash when in distress — they often just slip away in silence. Children can drown in seconds, and most drownings happen when a child is left unattended or during a brief lapse in supervision.
To keep children safe in and around water, injury prevention experts at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital recommend the following drowning prevention tips:
- Never leave children alone in or near water. Parents and caregivers should always watch while children are playing in or near water, even in shallow wading pools.
- Designate a “water watcher” to maintain constant watch over children in the pool during social gatherings.
- Remove floats and toys from in and around the pool when not in use. The presence of these toys may encourage children to enter the pool area or lean over the pool and potentially fall in.
- Never rely on a personal floatation device (arm bands, floats) to protect a child.
- Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). “Performing CPR on drowning victims immediately — before paramedics arrive — may prevent brain damage and make the difference between life and death,” said Maynard.
- Keep rescue equipment, a telephone and emergency numbers poolside.
- Install four-sided isolation fencing, at least 5 feet high, equipped with self-closing, self-latching gates. Fencing should completely surround swimming pools and prevent direct access from a house or yard.
- Use door alarms, pool alarms and pool covers for an extra layer of protection. However, do not rely on them to keep your kids safe; they should be used in conjunction with fencing and constant supervision.
- Enroll children in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors when they are ready. Even then, do not assume your child is “drown-proof ” — he or she still needs constant supervision.
- Never leave young children unattended in bathtubs, even for a moment.
- Keep toilet lids shut and use toilet locks.
- Children should always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floatation device when on a boat, near open bodies of water or when participating in water sports.